Facilitators of Change. OUP's Connections and Resources Continue to Transform and Empower Communities.

摘要

A strong nation is built upon the foundation of strong communities. Healthy, resilient communities provide their residents with safety, stability, possibility, and purpose. They shelter, educate, heal, and employ. In turn, a community can only be as strong as its weakest links. Issues such as unemployment, homelessness, and crime and recidivism, to name a few, slowly whittle away a community's fortitude, leaving its residents prone to the misfortunes that befall the unprotected. Our nation has long understood these truths and has worked to provide the tools necessary to keep communities powerful and progressive. One of these tools is the presence of an institution of higher education (IHE) in a community. Starting with the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890, which established land-grant colleges throughout the United States, the federal government sought to strengthen the educational infrastructure of this rapidly growing nation. Since then, IHEs have continued to expand their presence throughout communities across the United States. These deeply anchored institutions have served their surrounding areas well: They have expanded access to postsecondary education, provided qualified employees to meet the demands of an ever-evolving workforce, performed research that leads to new knowledge and innovation, and offered job stability, even in trying economic times.